(Invited) The Electrodeposition of Porous Catalysts for CO2 Reduction

Abstract

Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction exhibits promise as way to combat anthropogenic climate change and convert CO2 into fuels and chemical feedstocks. The efficient reduction of CO2 requires a catalyst that operates at low overpotential, high turnover frequency and high selectivity. Recent trends in state-of-the-art CO2 reduction catalysis involve the utilization of high surface area porous and/or oxide derived catalysts to promote the reduction of CO2 to multi-carbon products. The activity and selectivity of these catalysts has been attributed to a variety of different structural, electronic and geometric aspects ranging from the presence of high energy grain boundaries following oxide reduction1, and residual subsurface oxygen2,3, to cascading reactions coupled with mass transport through the porous catalyst networks4,5,6. This work is focused on examining the effect of high surface area porous catalysts on CO2 reduction. The electrodeposition of high surface area catalysts with well-defined interconnected porosity will be demonstrated and CO2 reduction activity and selectivity will be tested with respect to the catalysts composition, thickness, and pore and ligament size.